Before reviewing last week's brew schedule, let's take a look at the hand pull, where a firkin of cask-conditioned NABC Phoenix Komon just went on tap. Phoenix is our dark, sour throwback recipe from olden Louisville times, and normally it is intended as a brew-quick, drink-quick quencher, but this firkin is special because Jared experimented.
The ale inside has spent a year on oak chips. The characteristic tartness remains intact, albeit balanced by oakiness. The cask breather component that cracked has been replaced, so we can taking our time drinking this one.
Last week, the brew crew revived one historic NABC formulation and recast a second.
Solidarity, a Baltic Porter originally brewed by founding NABC brewmeister Michael Borchers, will return for the February 27 opening of Gravity Head 2009. Here's the recipe:
2-row, aromatic, crystal, chocolate and black malts
Saaz and Spalt hops (50 IBUs)
California Common yeast
Circa 10% abv
The 2008 version of NABC Naughty Claus was put to bed last week, and it's different from last year in more than one respect. The contents:
2-row, chocolate, aromatic malts
No hops used.
Dutch dark cocoa and fresh mint
House London yeast
Circa 7% abv
As a Baltic Porter, circa 8% abv, Solidarity lends itself to wood aging. We have a couple of rye whiskey barrels ...
... and a total of seven oak barrels formerly used for wine (comprising three different previous usages). Solidarity will fill these, with special releases coming as they mature.
There will be enough non-wood-aged Solidarity for 150 or so cases of bombers for release to Indiana and Kentucky, and the forthcoming half-batch more will be brewed to cover draft needs, both on premise and distribution.
